Copyright (c) 1997 - Ingrid A. Rimland
". . . will host an International Symposium on Hate on the Internet. The symposium will draw on the latest expertise of international delegates in the areas of law, legislation, technology, education, human rights and community action."
This was of great interest to me as the owner and webmaster of the Zundelsite,
since by that time the Zundelsite had been the target of serious censorship
attempts emanating from the traditional Holocaust Promotion Lobby.
It bears repeating, for the record, that in January-February of 1996, a
"cyberwar" was launched against my website out of Germany and
involved the shut-down of 1300+ websites to prevent Internetters from taking
a look at what I and my volunteers were putting on the net.
In August of 1996, eight classical Revisionist documents, in existence for
years but posted on the Zundelsite, were indexed as ". . . ethically
disorienting to minors" by the German Ministry of Families and the
Aged.
Furthermore, in December of 1996, there had been a massive e-mail attack
on the Zundelsite server, Webcom, that involved the crippling of 3,000+
websites lasting forty hours and drew in the FBI, who are still, I understand,
engaged in tracking down the villain(s).
Somewhere along the line - I don't have the exact date at my fingertips
right now - the Canadian Justice Department and the Canadian Human Rights
Commission, at the urging of B'nai Brith and other agencies and individuals,
became involved in scrutinizing the Zundelsite with an eye toward shutting
it down.
Additionally, there have been countless acts of vicious anonymous sabotage
trying to prevent the Zundelsite from staying on the Net. All this is very
odd, since I have it on paper from one of the Webcom monitors of the "abuse
box" that in two years, there has only been one anonymous complaint
lodged with our server against the Zundelsite.
Not to forget to mention also: some time ago I had been told that the ADL
(the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai Brith) had published a bio on me as
an internet activist that needed to be watched as someone who might do great
harm with my politically incorrect views (I never got around to ordering
a copy and only read a xeroxed version yesterday. . .)
And, finally, "HateWatch," a website that originated at Harvard
but was very hastily moved away from Harvard and became (. . . as I also
found out only last week!) a non-profit outfit whose purpose it is to keep
a cyber-eye out for people like me.
(Last time I checked, my picture was up there on HateWatch as the only female
activist in the Revisionist vein. Now, I understand, there is another lady
up there, listed as a "hater". . . I know her; she is funny! Try
searching for "Wakeupordie". . . one word!)
When I read the above B'nai Brith announcement about a symposium put on
by the traditional Holocaust Promotion Lobby, I concluded that they might
be talking about me and targeting the Zundelsite.
I suggested to Ernst that he ought to send a participant to this symposium
to find out if that was so.
Ernst had an even better idea. He thought that Zundelsite aficionados should
offer a symposium panel to explain our point of view and insist on our democratic
right to investigate our own recent history and form our own opinions -
without being labeled "hate mongers."
B'nai Brith had explained in their symposium announcement:
"Approximately 150-200 invited participants will come together to explore and coordinate methods of dealing with the global problem of Hate on the Internet.
If you are interested in contributing to the program, please submit an abstract of approximately 150 words describing your paper, panel, poster session or roundtable as soon as possible before July 10th to:
Lisa Armory, National Director, Institute for International Affairs, or Dr. Karen Mock, National Director, League for Human Rights, <bnb@bnaibrith.ca>
B'NAI BRITH CANADA
INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS
LEAGUE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
15 Howe Street, Toronto, Ontario, M3H 4Y8
Tel: (416) 633-6224
Fax: (416) 630-2159
Website: http://www.bnaibrith.ca
Well, we were interested. We thought we could, and should, contribute to
the program.
We speedily submitted an abstract of, as I recall, 156 words, offering Ernst
Zundel, his lead attorney, Douglas Christie, and your worthy owner and webmaster
of the Zundelsite, Ingrid Rimland, as panelists.
We faxed it to them within the deadline, and I e-mailed it for good measure.
I did more. I chased this original abstract with a follow-up letter. I consider
that letter a model of Revisionist restraint and goodwill.
I ran it before as a ZGram, but I'll run it this morning again, to document
our willingness to speak responsibly and civilly on the topic of "Hate
on the Internet":
Here it that letter:
To Lisa Armory, Institute for International Affairs or Dr. Karen Mock, League for Human Rights B'nai Brith
Ernst Zundel has submitted an abstract to you and asked to be considered for a panel presentation on your program, in yet another effort on his part to establish dialogue on disputed matters pertaining to World War II history.
I have been asked to be a panelist, since I am the creator, columnist and webmaster of the Zundelsite, wrongly considered a "hate website" by many. I have accepted Mr. Zundel's invitation and look forward to contributing to a better understanding of what you call ". . . dealing with the global problem of Hate on the Internet."
Should you decide on an open, fair and equitable symposium program - which is, after all, how public discourse on controversial matters ought to be - I will strive to do my best to broaden understanding of who we are, and what we say and do, as serious and committed historical Revisionists.
I am an experienced professional speaker with a considerable track record, having done keynotes for very large conventions - audiences as large as 8,000, many at the state level, some at the national and three at the international level. I have led, or participated in, many, many workshops. You may check my credits and endorsements as a speaker at http://www.webcom.com/ina/index.html
For the past 20 years, when accepting participation in professional conferences such as yours, I have been paid a speaking fee and have had all my expenses covered as a matter of routine. I assume you reimburse your participants likewise, and that there are government subsidies made available for that purpose.
What might I expect by way of speakers' fee and expense reimbursements, should you agree to let us present our side? I live and run the Zundelsite from California.
Please let me know at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely,
Ingrid Rimland, Ed.D.
So far, B'nai Brith has not responded. The only response I received was
a snide e-mail from one of Nizkor's shining lights, Annie Allport, addressing
me as "girl" and implying that I should not expect to be invited,
although she expects to be there.
Given this background, and given that this symposium will take place this
weekend without any Zundelsite input, needed or desired, I can only assume
that no one will discuss the Zundelsite as a "hate" website"
and Ingrid Rimland as a "hate monger."
Doing otherwise - in a public forum yet, put up by a non-profit agency -
naming the Zundelsite content as "hate on the Web", would call
forth all kinds of legal questions - including the important one how it
can be allowed that a publicly supported, tax-favored agency can spend public
money on what seems to me to be one-sided hate-mongering at taxpayers expense
directed at political opponents - without given them the chance to have
their say. Their way.
Ingrid
Thought for the Day:
"Progress is achieved by men who are able to be revolutionary without being revolting."
(John Bryant)